For years, Pakistan’s unpredictability has been the talking point. You never know which Pakistan will take the field. The Greens may either blow away the opposition or get blown away.

To an extent, in one way, India run the risk of becoming Pakistan.

How?

On Tuesday, Rohit Sharma’s men couldn’t bowl out Hong Kong and were fully stretched. The Asia Cup match finished after 11.30 pm local time.

Yet, 16 hours later, India began dismantling the Pakistan innings and took 10 wickets in 43.1 overs. That too without Hardik Pandya from over No.18.

Till late, Hardik was being “assessed” by India’s “medical team.” He had to be stretchered off following an “acute lower back injury.”

A massively below par 162 by Pakistan was never going to be competitive. Then, with openers Rohit (52) and Shikhar Dhawan adding 86 within 14 overs, Pakistan were doomed to finishing a poor second.

Contrary to expectations, from pundits and the aam aadmi, the match actually turned out to be embarrassingly one sided as India won by eight wickets and 21, yes that many, overs in the bank!

That’s a thrashing.

Just as well that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan didn’t make a stopover in Dubai, only to see some overs, as principal foe Nawaz Sharif could have blamed him.

India have topped the three-team group and face Bangladesh in their opening Super Four engagement, on Friday.

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur’s worst of fears came true. At a chance meeting during breakfast at the InterContinental, he told The Telegraph: “I may be outwardly calm, but believe me, it’s quite unsettled inside...”

At the post match Media conference, Mickey expressed disappointment with plans being abandoned “all too quickly.”

“We didn’t strike upfront and the boys panicked and went outside the plans... While batting (after Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss), we gifted a few wickets...

“At times, the inexperience of some showed... We’d been looking to defend 250-260, but didn’t get anywhere close,” Mickey conceded.

Kedar Jadhav, not MoM Bhuvneshwar Kumar, represented India.

“That we won gives good feelings... Often, the way Rohit bats is unreal. When he’s at the wicket, one senses our turn won’t come,” Kedar, who has a sense of humour, said.

If both India and Pakistan make the September 28 final, the two would meet thrice in a space of not many days.